The pH of meat and meat products has a profound impact on quality characteristics. pH highly affects water holding capacity (WHC), which is closely related to product yields and sensory performance. Additionally, it influences color, shelf life, microbial growth, and textural attributes. WHC is the ability of meat to retain its water during processing, storage, and cooking. Low WHC often results in high drip loss and poor eating quality (dryer and tougher in the cooked state). Water loss contributes to a reduction in saleable product from reduced yields. Historically, phosphates have been added to meat products to improve product yield and performance partly through pH manipulation. Nearly all phosphates or blends of phosphates utilized in the meat processing industry are alkaline phosphates. The addition of an alkaline phosphate to muscle will cause an upward shift in the product pH away from the iso-electric point (pI). The pH movement away from the pI results in improved WHC because of greater electrostatic repulsive forces, which creates larger gaps between actin and myosin proteins, and greater amounts of water can be bound. The effectiveness and importance phosphates play in processed meat products are unquestionable; however, as consumers continue to seek more label friendly ingredients, it is desirable to identify suitable replacement materials for phosphate.
One consumer friendly additive used for treating meat is sodium bicarbonate. The method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,012 by Kauffman et al. utilizes a solution containing sodium bicarbonate, which is injected into pre-rigor carcasses as a means to limit pH decline of the meat. This is accomplished by mixing pure sodium bicarbonate into a solution with other common brine ingredients. The meat is then infused with said solution to improve the WHC, color, and organoleptic properties of fresh meat. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 7,378,119 to Eilert describes a fresh processed meat composition made from post-rigor meat and includes a bicarbonate additive.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,060,309 to Paterson et al., describe a process which overcomes some of the limitations when infusing meat products with sodium bicarbonate. Paterson describes infusing meat with a gas-releasing chemical such as sodium bicarbonate and applying vacuum before or after cooking to reduce appearance of holes in the meat after the meat has been cooked.